The body and chassis of a Ford pre-production all-electric F-150 Lightning truck prototype are seen at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. REUTERS / Rebecca Cook / File Photo / File Photo / File Photo
The body and chassis of a Ford pre-production all-electric F-150 Lightning truck prototype are seen at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. REUTERS / Rebecca Cook / File Photo / File Photo / File Photo
The body and chassis of a Ford pre-production all-electric F-150 Lightning truck prototype are seen at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. REUTERS / Rebecca Cook / File Photo / File Photo / File Photo
The body and chassis of a Ford pre-production all-electric F-150 Lightning truck prototype are seen at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. REUTERS / Rebecca Cook / File Photo / Fi

Will 2023 be the year of the electric SUV?


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In the evolution of the electric vehicle, 2022 will be remembered for its megafauna: massive electric trucks finally roamed the land, with equally outsized prices. Next year, however, should bring some subspecies — a diaspora of SUVs, including some slightly smaller options and, rarer still, a precious few with more modest window stickers. If you are in the market for a car, here are four prognostications to keep in mind.

You can expect to see more EVs at Costco.

Somewhere around 20 all-new electric vehicle models are expected to launch in the US over the next 12 months, roughly the same amount as debuted this year. Critically, however, many of them are aimed at a sweet spot in the American market, which is to say good for carrying cargo and families, and not extremely expensive.

Days ago, Nissan’s long-awaited Ariya finally rolled into dealerships with a starting price of $43,190. A few months from now, Chevrolet says it will add its Blazer EV at just shy of $45,000, followed by the smaller, cheaper Equinox EV in autumn. Kia’s EV9, a bonafide three-row, will probably land in somewhat affordable territory as well, if it tracks its smaller sibling, the EV6. And on the startup front, VinFast, a Vietnamese manufacturer, will debut with its VF 8, a small SUV priced at $40,700 (although the battery is packaged in a monthly subscription plan).

European drivers can expect many of the same options, plus a few that are strictly Continental, like the Jeep Avenger, a stubby SUV that stands as the brand’s first all-electric offering. It’s joined by some sporty station wagons, including the Opel Astra Electric and the Peugeot e-308 SW. In part because of their lower profiles, both cars boast impressive efficiency, posting road-trip-ready range figures with batteries far smaller than those found in most American EVs.

The $100,000+ market isn’t slowing down.

Plenty of swankier SUVs are in the offing this year, including a version of GMC’s Hummer EV, with a price tag squarely in six-figure territory; the first electric Lexus, dubbed RZ; an “Electrified” version of Hyundai’s GV70; two more small crossover-type things from Polestar, named simply 3 and 4; and at the top of the luxury pyramid, the Mercedes EQE and EQS. There’s even talk of a large electric Volvo.

We’ll also start seeing greater numbers of EVs like the Rivian R1S and Cadillac’s new Lyric, which are technically on the market but still uncommon on most American roads. On the truck side, GM will finally start stamping out its Silverado EV, a model that regularly wins more than half a million gas customers a year.

Manufacturing issues will barely ease up.

Those on the hunt for an electric SUV will see their choices double in 2023. But choosing a new whip and actually buying a new whip will continue to be very different things. Supplies will stay tight, prices will stay elevated and legacy automakers will still be eager to sell gas vehicles while they spool up almost the entire EV market.

Startup automakers, meanwhile, are still figuring out how to actually build an auto at scale. Rivian, for example, only made about 25,000 vehicles this year, although it has more than four times that many orders on its books. Lucid Group was aiming for just 6,000 to 7,000 EVs in 2022 after halving its production goals late in the summer.

S&P Global Mobility expects drivers around the world to snap up 10 million EVs in 2023, almost 14 per cent of the entire market, but they won’t come cheap. S&P warns that EV fever is pushing prices even higher and a rash of new incentives laid out in the Inflation Reduction Act will only lessen the sting slightly.

  • GMC has finally given us a glimpse at the electric 2022 Hummer. All photos courtesy GMC
    GMC has finally given us a glimpse at the electric 2022 Hummer. All photos courtesy GMC
  • The Hummer, roof panels removed.
    The Hummer, roof panels removed.
  • The inside is smarter than it was in early models.
    The inside is smarter than it was in early models.
  • Steering wheel details.
    Steering wheel details.
  • Price-wise, the Hummer starts at $80,000.
    Price-wise, the Hummer starts at $80,000.
  • Sturdy, comfortable seating is a necessity, of course.
    Sturdy, comfortable seating is a necessity, of course.
  • GMC promises the Hummer will have 'remarkable' off-road capability.
    GMC promises the Hummer will have 'remarkable' off-road capability.
  • Buyers can expect tech that's beyond the basic.
    Buyers can expect tech that's beyond the basic.
  • Nothing petrol-powered in there.
    Nothing petrol-powered in there.
  • GMC promises a 'well executed' interior.
    GMC promises a 'well executed' interior.
  • The pick-up bit of the new Hummer.
    The pick-up bit of the new Hummer.
  • You won't be allowed to forget what you're travelling in.
    You won't be allowed to forget what you're travelling in.
  • Should be no problems with that terrain.
    Should be no problems with that terrain.

Making money on EVs won’t get much easier.

While the suits in Detroit, Seoul, Stuttgart and Tokyo may finally get the computer chips they need, the unit economics on electric vehicles are still crummy. Lithium-ion battery prices increased in 2022 for the first time on record, a 7 per cent bump. And some of the biggest brains in the business, including Toyota President Akio Toyoda and Rivian CEO and co-founder RJ Scaringe, worry that it will take years for the battery supply chain to catch up.

That’s why the best strategy for auto executives may be to stick with the simple bait-and-switch: get drivers hyped to go electric with low base prices, while predominantly stamping out far more expensive, higher-trim models. If you already can’t make enough cars, the logic goes, make the most profitable ones.

But if the economy stays on shaky ground and interest rates continue to climb, banking on indefinite demand may be unwise. “US consumers are hunkering down,” says S&P analyst Chris Hopson, “and recovery towards pre-pandemic vehicle demand seems like a hard sell”.

Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8

Power: 611bhp

Torque: 620Nm

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Price: upon application

On sale: now

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet

Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder

Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km

DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Western Clubs Champions League:

  • Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
  • Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
  • Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Brief scores:

Day 2

England: 277 & 19-0

West Indies: 154

Monday's results
  • UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
  • Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
  • Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
Company profile

Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space

Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)

Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)

Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi 

Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution) 

Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space  

Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019

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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
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MATCH INFO

What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

if you go

The flights 

Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning. 

The trains

Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.

The hotels

Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.

Updated: January 03, 2023, 3:30 AM